Like millions of women every year, teenager Paige Hall decided to take a pregnancy test after waking up “feeling weird.”
I didn’t know I would have a baby that same day.
It was only after attending A&E that doctors told the shocked 17-year-old that she was actually 9 months pregnant and needed a C-section right then and there.
Ms Hall had experienced what doctors call a cryptic pregnancy, which is when a woman shows no obvious signs of being expecting, such as stopping her period or developing a telltale belly.
The now 25-year-old mother from Prestwood, Buckinghamshire, told how surprised she was to learn she was 39 weeks pregnant and would become a mother that day.
Paige Hall, 25, had a cryptic pregnancy and didn’t realize she was 39 weeks pregnant.
“I was so scared. I was young and alone. And the thought of it completely terrified me. But I truly believe that everything happens for a reason,” Hall said.
In one video she explained that she had no pregnancy symptoms and had a non-existent bump while showing an old image of her looking at her ‘bulge’ (pictured).
Ms Hall explained that she was taking contraceptives at the time and never missed a period during the nine months she was pregnant with her son Jenson.
As for her non-existent belly, the mother explained that her son was lying on his back, so she still seemed to look very thin.
It wasn’t until week 39 of pregnancy that she noticed any symptoms.
She said: ‘I was taking the combined pill, but I want to be clear that there is no method of contraception that is 100 per cent safe.
“I didn’t miss a period, not a single one, which was obviously another telltale sign of why I didn’t think I was pregnant.”
Hall explained that she woke up one morning and felt “really weird” and took a pregnancy test that came back positive.
Panicking, Hall called her doctor before being advised to have a scan at the hospital.
Once the scan was complete, she said she didn’t see the result right away, but she remembered how the doctors gave her pamphlets on how to have a C-section.
‘While they were doing the scan, all the nurses were running around. I thought: Okay, a little strange. “They came back with all these pamphlets and said if I wanted a C-section, I had to have it done that day because of how far along I was,” she said.
Despite not completely knowing how far along she was, her son, Jensen, was born completely healthy at seven pounds, 13 ounces and she described it as the best thing that had ever happened to her.
As a teenager who was absolutely terrified and completely unprepared for caring for a child, she didn’t know who to turn to for help, so she decided to ask around online and said she found an entire community of people who had had or were going through a similar experience. to support her. .
She said: ‘I went on online sites and asked and pleaded with the community to help me. Many members of the community reached out and helped me with absolutely everything I needed.’
‘Sometimes being pregnant and being a mother can be very, very lonely. And we all have our own struggles,” she added.
“Jensen was supposed to come to me and come into my life, and I wouldn’t trade him for the world.”
A 2002 article published in the British Medical Journal estimated that cryptic pregnancies occur in only about one in every 2,500 pregnancies.
Dr Lawrence Cunningham, of health advice company UK Care Guide, said the cryptic pregnancy appeared to be linked to several factors.
“From what I’ve observed, rarity is influenced by several factors, including hormonal imbalances, use of contraceptives like the mini-pill, and individual differences in how women experience pregnancy symptoms,” she said.
She added: “Some women may continue to have what appear to be regular periods, and if they do not show the typical pregnancy bump, it can be quite difficult to recognize pregnancy without specific tests.”
Dr. Cunningham added that in addition to being unusual, cryptic pregnancies also carry unique risks.
“One of the main concerns is the lack of prenatal care, which is crucial to monitor the health of both the mother and the developing baby,” she said.
“Without regular check-ups, potential complications such as gestational diabetes, preeclampsia or fetal growth restrictions may go undetected and untreated.”
